When attached to the outside of an open window, the Air Guard is designed to detect levels of the most harmful particulates, alerting users when levels become high and advising that windows are shut. 

This helps protect people from forgetting to close open windows when air quality drops, ensuring they are not unwittingly breathing in harmful particulates, such as PM2.5.  

PM2.5 is an air pollutant that is a concern for people's health when levels in air are high as they are able to travel deeply into the respiratory tract, reaching the lungs. It is advised that where possible people stay indoors when PM2.5 levels are high, but many people forget to shut their windows putting them at increased risk at home. 

The design concept, which was developed by students Tongling Yuan, Nan Wang, Mengying Jiang and Yanjie Wang, with support from their design lecturer Yiteng Shih, has already won an international award. 

Dr Yiteng Shih, an assistant professor in product design and manufacture, said: “Poor air quality in China is becoming increasingly serious but people still need to open their windows. Unfortunately they often don’t realise that air quality has dropped and leave windows open, exposing them to greater risk from PM2.5 pollutants.

“The Air Guard uses a scale to show air quality and alerts people when is has become bad, reminding them to shut their windows. By using this small and convenient product, the potential damage to people’s health is reduced as much as possible.” 

 

Fourth year student student Nan Wang enjoyed the process of developing a design concept. He said: “For product design students, hands-on experience is very important and this project allowed us to develop our ideas with the excellent support and resources available at the University.” 

More press information about UNNC is available from Tess Humphrys, communications and marketing officer, UNNC, on +86 574 8818 0940.